On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November, reports, analyzes and testimonies. A folder carried out in partnership with Crédit Mutuel.
There were four people, aged 33 to 60, sitting in a circle around a small round table. With their arms tightly crossed over their chests, they introduced themselves with simple words. If they were here on this bright autumn afternoon, in the all-white meeting room of the Center for Support and Prevention (CAP) in Lille, it would be to “violent things”.
“Oral”, two of them immediately determine. “There is no form of violence that is more serious than another, it depends on each person’s sensitivity, recalls Marianne Kervellec, a psychologist who oversees a working group dedicated to the differences between conflict and violence. It’s a continuum : we know very well that yesterday’s insult will result in tomorrow’s slap in the face.”
The tongue slowly loosened, confidently: “There is freedom of expression here, they feel like they are not being judged.” In the two-hour workshop, domestic abusers discuss their views on what is healthy or toxic in a romantic relationship. They listened to each other, compared points of view, walked together in a long process of introspection.
Launched at the end of 2021, CAP has set up its offices in a four-story red brick building, in a working-class district of the Flanders capital. In addition to the professional premises, it also includes ten apartments, where 25 men (mostly) or accompanying women can be accommodated before their decision, due to the lack of other solutions. A way to avoid them returning to the marital home or spending the night on the road. “Previously, the people who left accommodation most often were victims with several things. We want to do the opposite.” explained Caroline Alirol, director of the Lille Judicial Control and Investigation Service, which manages the structure.
For a team that is 100% female, consisting of three judicial supervisors, two psychologists, a probation officer and a social worker, this closeness makes things easier to manage. This also allows building occupants to be able to concentrate on what matters: their behavior. A lot of accountability work was done, tailored to each person’s identified needs. Workshops on managing emotions, non-violent communication, empathy or gender stereotypes can be complemented by other workshops around housework or home organization. On a daily basis, if difficulties arise, there is only one or two floors to go down or up to talk to the social worker, Astrid Dufort.
In its nearly four years of existence, CAP has accepted 242 tenants, and monitored approximately 1,500 people charged with domestic or family violence over a period of six months to two and a half years. “All efforts made with the perpetrators make it possible to provide better protection to the victims, by avoiding repeated acts, recalls Caroline Alirol. We managed to sow a small seed; long-term monitoring is bearing fruit.”
